10 Interesting WrestleMania facts that might surprise you

#1 WrestleMania X8 featured more WCW legends

Could have been better?

Back at WrestleMania X - Seven in 2001, no one could ever have imagined the kind of names that would be competing at WrestleMania X8 the following year, particularly the former big WCW names.

The card featured the like of the original NWO, Ric Flair, Booker T, Diamond Dallas Page and others. However, WWE had actually reached out to more former WWE/WCW stars to appear at the SkyDome in Toronto, Ontario Canada on March 17, 2002.

WWE was in serious negotiations with Sting, in early 2002. Apparently, WWE officials felt so positive he would sign in time for WrestleMania X8, that they planned on having a dream match between him and Kurt Angle.

however, talks fell through and Kurt Angle would face Kane instead in a very rushed feud, Sting and Kurt would later have several exciting matches in TNA Wrestling between 2007 and 2011 and it would be a further 13 years + after these initial negotiations, that Sting would sign with WWE.

Stone Cold Steve Austin faced Scott Hall. Surprisingly, even though it involved Austin, the match felt like just another mid-card match, despite that it was pretty good for what they could get out of 10 minutes.

According to Scott Steiner, he negotiated with WWE to return in early 2002 in time for WrestleMania X8, where the plan was for him and Austin to face the NWO in a tag team match, but Steiner claims he wasn't offered enough money and declined. He eventually signed later that year.

Perhaps the most surprising story to come out of the plans for WrestleMania X8 were the plans that involved Bret Hart, mainly because this would be the first time since before Survivor Series 1997 that Bret would be offered a deal by WWE. Bret was still retired at the time so he wouldn't have been competing, but WWE had other big plans for the Hit Man.

Triple H had been feuding with Vince McMahon at the time on TV, as well as Chris Jericho and Stephanie McMahon. The rumoured idea at the time was that Vince would interfere during the main event and attempt a screw-job finish to the match while Jericho would've had the Walls of Jericho locked in.

Bret would then emerge from the entrance ramp with his theme music and appearance provoking a huge pop from the Toronto audience and then clock Vince with a punch, preventing him from ending the match. Following that, Bret officiated the rest of the match itself.

Bret was also offered two other scenarios, to punch Vince in the face during an in-ring promo, or to be announced as the special enforcer for the main event on the prior episode of RAW. Apparently, he actually considered all offers before he ultimately decided he would be too uncomfortable.

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